The One With the Proposal
by randomle26
Summary: Those "romantic comedy" cliches- kissing in the rain, etc.- may be entirely overused. But no one can deny that in that moment, it still feels amazing. They look ridiculous & unoriginal, but no one cares as long as the message-the right message-is free from it's containment inside your lover's head and heart. [Inspired by FRIENDS episode: TOW the Proposal]


**AN: I've viewed all my stories and realized there are a lot of the typical movie/book/TV clichés…and I never figured if it's on purpose or not. So why the hell shouldn't I write a novel with a **_**purposeful**_** cliché?**

**Please ignore the errors (I'm not used to writing third person so if you see some first person point of view, it's not intentional) and enjoy my story!**

**Tittle Inspiration****: **

**F.R.I.E.N.D.S. episode: ****The One With the Proposal**

* * *

"Argh!"

Donna, Toni, Kori, Roy, Victor, and Wally turn away from FRIENDS to turn to a very angry Richard.

"Can I borrow this mug?" asks Richard, picking the red mug off the counter. Victor confusingly nods in agreement. Richard then chucks the mug at the wall. Victor stands up, "The hell, Dick? My mom got me that mug!"

Richard runs his hand through his hair and hurls a fork at the wall (the same spot where the mug shattered), "Sorry, I'm just frustrated."

Victor walks over to the raven-head boy, "And why are you so frustrated?" Richard's jaw clenches, "It's nothing." He grabs a beer from the refrigerator as Victor comments, "It's not nothing and I swear to god if you throw the beer at my wall I'll throw you against the wall."

Richard chugs his beer, "Raven and I had a fight."

"That's not a valid reason as to why you felt the need to hurl kitchen objects," interjects Roy. Richard glares at the tall redhead, "Shut up."

"What was the fight about?" asks Wally, seeming genuinely concerned.

Richard closes his eyes, "I…I don't really remember. She came home from work and told me her ex-boyfriend, Jason, proposed to her while she was in the middle of teaching a class."

The audience of this story went wide-eyed. "He proposed…in front of her history class of sixth graders?" asked Donna. Richard nodded, "Apparently. And she didn't say no."

"What?!"

Richard bit his lower lip, "She didn't say _yes_. She just…told him they'd talk about it later. And she came home and told me she said no to him, but she doesn't think Jason's going to let up."

Kori puts a hand on his back, "Sorry Dick." Richard shakes his head, "I got mad, she got mad, and we just started fighting. I left and I'm giving her time to cool off."

Victor put his hand underneath his chin, "Weren't you gonna propose to her tonight?" Richard nods and puts his hand in his face, "Yes." Roy clicks his tongue against the top of his mouth, "Sorry man. You think you're going to have to put it off till later?"

Richard removes his hands from his face, "I…I don't know. I don't want to, though. I…I want to marry her. This is just a big dent in my big plan!" Donna put an arm around her stepbrother's shoulders, "I know. You two are the cutest couple." They all remain silent, contemplating the news they just received.

Richard met Raven while he was having lunch with his old college roommates, Garfield and Victor. She was at the bar waiting to eat with Toni (having no idea that she went to class with Donna), and she looked lonely at the bar. When Richard began talking to her, he completely forgot that he was eating with his college roommates. They had been dating for almost five years.

"Oh my god!"

They all turned to Kori. She began pointing at the TV, "This is just like this episode of _FRIENDS_!"

Richard stared at Kori, slightly worried, "How is it like…that _FRIENDS_ episode?"

"_The One With the Proposal_ is about Monica and Chandler getting engaged," explained Kori, "Her ex-boyfriend comes in and tries to marry her but Chandler ends up with her anyways!"

"How do you suggest I get her then, Kori? She's mad at me," asked Richard, who was still slightly confused.

Kori shrugged, "Well things got better when _Joey_ talked to _Monica_. So…we'll go over and talk to her. She needs girl advice."

The redhead drags Toni and Donna out of Victor's house. As they're standing outside the door, Kori begins to happily jump up and down.

"I'm so excited. This is _exactly_ like the FRIENDS episode!"

* * *

"I'm so unhappy. This is _nothing_ like the FRIENDS episode!" exclaimed Kori the minute she walked into Raven and Richard's house.

Donna nodded in agreement, "I didn't think Raven would actually pack to leave."

Toni walked up to her best friend, "What are you doing Rae?" Raven put a t-shirt into her Samsonite luggage and sarcastically answers, "Packing. It's a common thing for people who plan on leaving their homes for a long period of time."

"Raven," starts Donna, "Why are you planning on leaving? Is it because of your fight with Richard? I know he can be a dick- pun intended- but that's no reason-"

"I know that sounds like the most convenient answer, Donna, but no. I…I got a call from my brother. Her cancer is getting worse so I…I have to come home and help around the house," reasoned Raven.

Donna put her hand on Raven's to stop her from packing, "What about your job?" Raven pulls her hand away, "I resigned already. And I checked: there are open teacher jobs in town."

"What about Richard?" asked Kori.

Raven bit her lower lip, "I'm going to talk to him. I just…I…I can't focus on that right now. Family first was always a rule in my family."

"You have to talk to him, Rae," instructs Donna. Raven gave her a small (sad) smile, "I'm not trying to hurt your stepbrother, Donna. I just…I can't be bothered."

"But you two are so close!" screeches Kori. Raven raises a suspicious eyebrow, "So close to what?"

"He's going to-" Kori can't finish her statement because Toni places her palm over Kori's mouth. Toni gives Raven a small smile, "What Kori's trying to say is…you've been together for a _really_ long time…you guys have something really damn good so it'd be…a shame…if you guys ended it after one fight."

Raven sighs and resumes packing, "Thank you guys for your advice, but I need to keep packing."

* * *

"Richard, get your sorry ass back to your house and make up with Raven!" screams Donna when she walks back into Victor's house, interrupting their video game.

"Babe, calm down," Roy tells his girlfriend. Donna ignores Roy and continues to yell, "Raven's at your house now, packing, and if you don't go down and talk to her, so help me god I'll-"

"Wait, she's packing?" asked Richard. His heart began to jump slightly in worry.

Donna sighs in irritation, "She's planning to leave and go back home. If you don't stop her there is a giant chance you will never get to propose to her."

Richard walked up to Donna, "Is she planning on coming back?" Donna shrugs, "I don't know. Rae said she resigned at work."

Just as Donna said the word 'work', Richard ran out the door with his car keys.

* * *

Raven looked up from zipping her luggage to see Richard running through the door.

"Hey," Richard greeted. Raven ran a hand through her hair, "Hey."

Raven stood up and faced her boyfriend, "I'm guessing Donna told you." Richard moved to get closer to her, "Please tell me it's not because of this one fight. I know you and you're stronger than that."

"It's not…it's not because of that," Raven said with a head shake, "My brother called and he needs help to take care of my mom."

"You turned in your resignation, Rae. That implies that…" Richard's voice trailed off with the obvious meaning. But Raven simply nodded, "I need to make sure my mom is okay."

Richard took her hand in his, "Don't leave. Not yet." Raven shook her head this time, "I'm sorry."

"Raven," Richard started to say, but Raven stopped him by wrapping her arms around him. Of course, Richard reciprocated the hug. Raven sighed against his chest, "I'll miss you."

"You don't have to," declared Richard. Raven pulled away to stare at his face, "You know I have to go." "No, I really don't," he disagreed.

She placed a hand on his face, "I really wish it didn't end." Richard shook his head and closed his eyes, "This isn't happening. You're not …"

Raven began tracing his cheek with her thumb. Richard reluctantly opened his eyes to her teary ones. But she did her best to offer a small smile, "You're going to be okay, Dick."

She put another hand on her shoulder, "But…" Despite the shock, Richard couldn't help but wrap his arms around her when she placed her plump lips on his. He savored her taste by deepening their kiss. Just as he was about to further explore her with his hands, Raven pulled away. Catching him off guard, she was able to separate herself from his embrace. She grabbed her luggage and headed towards the door.

She stopped dead in her tracks, making Richard wonder if she was contemplating leaving. His spirit was crushed when she merely turned around and said, "I love you."

* * *

"Where are your car keys?" was the first thing he asked when he ran into Victor's home again.

"Do you promise not to throw stuff?" asked Victor. Richard gave him a look before Victor threw him the keys, "What's wrong with your car?"

Richard answered, "I'm going after Raven. I figured you guys wanted to go see."

Toni stared blankly at him, "Dick, she's got her mind set on going back. She's not going to-"

"Look, do you guys wanna come or not? You have three seconds to decide before I get in your van and drive to the airport?" "I can't believe he's wasting time just to ask if we want to see it," whispered Wally to Kori.

Donna smiled, "I'll get my coat!" Roy ran backwards to the closet, "I'll get the video camera!" "Grab the Nikon as well," instructed Victor. Kori started jumping, "This is so exciting!" Wally brushed off crumbs (from his sandwich), "Can the van fit all of us?"

Even Toni surprised everyone when she said, "Don't be pessimistic, West. And I'm only going to get my best friend back _and_ to see you fall on your ass Grayson."

* * *

"I need seven tickets to Jump City, please," Richard impatiently requested to the woman at the counter. She smiled, "Now do you want to sit together with all your little friends? I think I can get _you_ a first class ticket. If you're nice."

Richard's about to respond before Wally pushes him out of the way. He slams his fist on the desk, "Look…Katherine… he's in a hurry to stop his girlfriend from leaving, so could you please cooperate like any working-class American?"

Katherine pouted, "Will you be paying by credit card?" Richard nodded anxiously, "Yeah, the number is…85609."

"What number is that?" whispered Roy as Katherine was printing out boarding passes. Richard turned to him, "You really think I don't have Bruce's credit card numbers memorized?"

"Here is your boarding passes," says (though gritted teeth) Katherine when Richard turned around, "I hope you have a safe flight."

Toni scoffed, "No she doesn't."

* * *

"Raven! Raven, stop!"

Raven turned around to see Richard and all of their friends running towards her.

"Dick," Raven muttered, shocked. Richard stood in front of her, lightly panting, "You can't leave me. Not without letting me say goodbye."

Raven turned to the flight attendant behind her, "I'm so sorry." The lady sighed, "Sweetheart please step to the side." Raven nodded and did as she was told. The flight attendant took out a speaker phone, "Flight 365 boarding will be delayed by 30 minutes."

"Hey! Why can't the rest of us get on?" asked a man in line. The flight attendant scowled, "Because this is the most romantic thing I've seen at this airport and I'm not missing it! So you hush. Go ahead, sweetie, talk to your girlfriend." Richard nodded to her and ignored the other flight attendants that were walking to watch the "show".

"Dick, why does Roy have a video camera? And why does Vic have a Nikon out?"

Richard took Raven's hand in his, "Please let me say something."

Kori squealed (unintentionally interrupting them), "This is more like _The Last One_ then _The One With the Proposal_!" She was shushed by Donna and Toni.

"Dick what's going on?"

Richard put one hand on the side of Raven's face, "Please don't leave me." Raven sighed, "Richard you know I have to go. My mom needs me."

"I also need you," argued Richard, "I love you so much Raven."

"And I love you too, but I can't be with you."

"Why not?" Richard asked. He was desperate to know why she couldn't be with him, even if it broke his heart (in retrospect, he didn't think his heart could break any further).

"Because I can't focus on a relationship with you. I have to make sure my mom's okay before I can worry about it."

"I know, and I get it," said Richard, "But that doesn't mean we can't be together. I love you, and I need you."

"Richard-" He interrupted, "Please let me finish, Raven."

When Raven was finally silent, Richard took a deep breath and began, "Before I met you…I thought I was happy. I had a good job with Bruce and I had a roof over my head. But then you walked into my life and I realized how completely empty I was. I wasn't happy, I was _content_. You make me happy, Raven. I can't lose you. I can't go back to that life before you."

"Aww," cooed the flight attendants in the background.

Raven ignored them, "Richard, please understand that I'm not leaving because we fought."

He nodded, "I know. But the fact that you're dedicated to your family doesn't persuade me. I want to be there for you because this is something you can't handle alone, Rae. I know you need me, almost as much as I need you. And I want to be there for you, supporting and loving you."

Raven's eyes immediately go into shock when she sees Richard bend down on his knee. Her eyes couldn't go any wider when she saw him pull out a ring.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Kori, Donna, and some flight attendants.

"Raven," Richard said, anxious and excited, "I love you…so much. And I want to spend the rest of my life waking up next to you in the morning. I can't fathom the thought of not being with you. And if you do say no, you need to realize that…nobody is ever going to love you or care for you as much as I do. So please, please say that you'll spend the rest of your life with me. Marry me."

"Oh…wow," Raven finally chocked out, wiping some tears from her eyes.

"Say yes!" encouraged many of the girls watching.

Richard continued, "If you want I'll even get Bruce to _pay_ you to marry me. You know he has a lot of-"

"Yes," Raven interrupted.

Richard stopped, "Yes?" Raven nodded with a smile and tears down her eyes, "Yes."

Richard smiled, "Does that mean Bruce needs to write a check?"

Raven shook her head and pulled Richard up from the ground, "I don't want the money. I just want you, Richard."

Richard wrapped his arms around her waist, "I love you." Raven put her arms around his neck, "I love you more." Richard murmured, just before kissing her, "Not possible." They continued to kiss, ignoring the cheers and cat calls from everyone around them.

Raven pulled away, "I still have to leave, Dick." Richard nodded and put his forehead to hers, showing her his ticket, "Not without me."

"Congratulations!" their friends yelled. Roy laughed, "And I got it all on camera!"

Kori turned to them, "Could that _be_ any more romantic?"

* * *

**For clarification:**

**First, I was contemplating whether or not I should make Garfield the ex or not, but I don't think it would make that big of a difference considering it's just a brief mention.**

**Second, I know Donna's not Richard's stepsister…I just think they have that type of relationship. **

**Finally, I chose Kori to have the last line because the title (of this one shot) was based off the **_**FRIENDS **_**episode and she was keeping that theme/central picture to the story. Anyone who knows **_**Chandler Bing **_**would understand the corniness of the last line. **

**I hoped you enjoyed and please read and review!**


End file.
